Genesis GV70 News

Around eight months after the facelifted Genesis GV70 line-up arrived locally, the brand has detailed the electric version ahead of imminent deliveries.

Hyundai Group's luxury brand, Genesis, is reportedly set to launch its first range-extender electric vehicle (REEV) in December 2026.As reported by Korean Car Blog, the brand’s first REEV will be a version of the GV70 built on a modified version of the E-GMP platform.Little information about this car is confirmed thus far, apart from it having a claimed pure electric range of 200km and total claimed range of 900km.The GV70 EREV will reportedly launch in North America, South Korea and parts of Europe. It’s unclear if it will come to Australia.REEV technology is claimed to bridge the gap between an electric vehicle (EV) and a series-parallel hybrid.It’s very similar to plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology as it prioritises electric power when there’s charge in the high-voltage battery pack.There’s also an internal-combustion engine, like a PHEV, but it only acts as a generator to recharge the battery when needed. It never powers the wheels directly.Genesis currently doesn’t offer any series-parallel hybrids in its line-up, unlike its mainstream Hyundai and Kia sister brands. It only EVs and internal-combustion vehicles.The brand did plan to go EV-only by 2030, but this no longer seems to be the case following recent comments from Genesis global head, Mike Song.“Hybrid, EV, ICE, everything is on the table. It is the customer who chooses the right fit for their needs,” said Mr Song in January.“Still there’s a market or customer who only wants ICE, then we will do it. Our product plan is based on our forecast of the customer demands, so we don’t delete anything,” he said.“The need for EV, including hybrid, is growing.“We still believe one day in the future, we don’t know when, it will be 100 per cent EV.“2030-2035 we think there is customer for ICE and hybrid, then we will do it. Even 2050.”

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Genesis has given its most popular car in Australia a fresh update for 2025, coming with new tech, new variant options and a new set of pricing.

People hate change. It’s just a fact of life, once we get accustomed to doing things a certain way, we’re happy to keep doing them even if a better alternative emerges.And if you want proof, look no further than the mixed results brands such as Genesis, Tesla and others have had with trying to make the buying experience better by doing away with the conventional new car showroom.But as Hyundai’s luxury brand has discovered, people actually prefer a conventional buying experience rather than the seemingly superior option Genesis is providing.The marque eschewed the traditional dealership model and opted for boutique-style retail spaces in Sydney and Melbourne CBDs which would arrange for a brand representative to bring a car directly to the would-be customer at their convenience. However, the brand has since added ‘Test Drive Centres’ in more conventional locations and recently announced plans to expand dramatically, with new showrooms on the Gold Coast and Sydney as well as introducing ‘agents’ that will be positioned at existing dealerships (most likely Hyundai dealers).Genesis Australia Chief Justin Douglass said the brand has tried multiple methods of reaching customers, but the preference is clearly towards the traditional.“So both sites do have the opportunity to test drive on site,” Douglass explained. “We do Genesis-to-you as well, so if a customer lives in that area and doesn't want to travel, to Parramatta, for example, or in Prahran in Melbourne, then our staff from those studios will take a car to them. So we certainly do sell cars from those sites, but certainly not at the level that we sell through our established showcases.” While Douglass made it clear the inner-city retail ‘studios’ will stay, he acknowledged they have some limitations.“I guess the opportunity for us is, when you look at the way the studios are structured, they're really brand experience centres. So we don't have the capability of showcasing our full range of vehicles at the sites," he said.“But, as I mentioned before, some customers are certainly happy to purchase through that type of environment, that type of experience, but you're right, there's still customers that prefer the traditional method, but we just happen to be conveniently located for those customers as well.”Genesis is by no means alone in this new trend of trying to make buying a car more convenient for buyers in recent years. It has been a period of upheaval in the car industry, with both Mercedes-Benz and Honda moving to the so-called ‘agency model’ that sees all sales handled directly by the brands, with the previous dealerships now only responsible for customer handovers. This has seen both brands endure a sales decline as seemingly both customers and dealers have come to terms with this new way of doing business.But that won’t deter new brands from trying to do things differently, General Motors Australia recently opened its first Cadillac Experience Centre in Sydney, with plans for more as it tries to compete with more established luxury rivals.Those who prefer to drive to a showroom, look at different vehicles, test drive and buy will likely be able to continue to do that for years to come though, as it will take a long time for people to accept such dramatic change.

Hyundai’s luxury offshoot, Genesis, is giving the people what they want … hybrids.

Korea’s powerhouse carmaker, the Hyundai Group, is set to dip its toes into the ranger extender hybrid water, with a 900km driving range on the cards.

Genesis has unveiled an updated 2025 GV70 luxury SUV ahead of its global launch in May and Australian arrival in the second half of 2024. 

Genesis Australia has streamlined its GV70 and GV80 SUV line-ups, while also increasing pricing by as much as $2030 across the board from September this year.

The Genesis story in Australia has been a slow burn - not exactly the six days it took in that Genesis - but it's starting to prove there's a market for its niche offering of luxury-focused models built from platforms and mechanicals of Hyundai and Kia's